The Lost Legacy
by ArtemisApollo97
Summary: Percy and Annabeth were killed in combat, leaving behind a two-month old son. Under a promise on the River Styx, Leo and Louisa, my OC, were charged with Tobias's protection, but they can't protect somebody that's not there... T/M for abuse.
1. Chapter 1

**This is a random idea that I've had for the last week or so. The first chapter will be fast-paced, 'cos it's the run up to what I want to do. **

**I do not own Percy Jackson and co, but Louisa, Tobias, Elsie, Alokia and Charlie are my OCs.**

* * *

It was the happiest anyone had seen them since they were rescued from Tartarus. Obviously something major had happened for Percy and Annabeth to have their old smiles back, the warm looks in their eyes instead of the tortured grimaces.

Leo was tending to Louisa and Nico, both of whom were suffering flashbacks of Tartarus. They were stubborn and didn't like to ask for help, but they always went to Leo. Their cases weren't as serious as Percy and Annabeth's though, neither of them had been in hell for as long as the couple.

Jason looked bewildered while Piper studied the pair curiously. Annabeth looked like she wanted to say something, but was looking at Percy for permission. That was new.

"Spit it out." Louisa demanded. They beamed and Annabeth held up a white stick.

"You better call it Leo Junior." Leo grinned.

"Shut up, Valdez."

"Make me, Zhang." Leo looked back at Percy and Annabeth, jumping up. "Celebration party!" He beamed.

"Oh gods, Leo." Annabeth laughed.

"Hey, I'm gonna be an uncle." Leo turned to Nico and Louisa. "We're going to need balloons and cake and banners and cake and-"

"And something to shut Leo up." Percy added.

"That's the cake, bro." Louisa smirked.

"Not for long."

* * *

A week later, Percy and Annabeth had even more good news. Instead of holding up a positive pregnancy test, Annabeth was showing everybody her new engagement ring.

"Oh my gods, it's beautiful!" Hazel beamed. She looked up at Percy, glowering behind her smile. "Keeping secrets from us, Percy."

"Sorry, Hazel." Percy didn't sound in the slightest apologetic.

"When is it?" Hazel demanded.

"Um…" Percy looked at Annabeth. "We'll get back to you on that."

"Woo! Another party to plan!"

"Leo, I said no parties!" Annabeth sighed. "Where's Lou?"

"Sleeping." Leo smirked. "No-one to control Valdez!"

"Valdez!"

"Zhang!"

"Shut it!"

"Never!" Annabeth clapped her hands once, the sharp sound making the two boys fall silent.

"I've changed my mind. I want Frank and Leo organising the parties." The looks on the boys' faces was priceless. The others couldn't stop laughing.

* * *

It all went great. The celebration party, the baby scans, Percy and Annabeth moving into their own house and then finally- _finally-_ their wedding. Hazel was probably the most excited, having been Annabeth's right hand woman, alongside Piper and Thalia.

Leo and Frank had only tried to kill each other… five hundred and twenty-nine times in the past six months. Not much. Thankfully, Louisa and Nico had been around to keep the pair under control. Despite their differences, however, they planned a great wedding, with the girls' help.

It was all going perfectly. Annabeth was stunning in her custom dress- the whole thing was made of shimmering sea green and blue silk, the skirt pooling around her feet and glistening softly, like water in the sun. The top was like a Greek chiton, pale blue with an intricate cream lace bodice covering it. Amongst the lace, in respect for Athena, were little owls. Percy looked exceptionally smart in black trousers, a sea green shirt with the top button undone and the sleeves folded up. He was lost for words as his fiancé made her way down the aisle with her father, glowing with her pregnancy and looking like a goddess in that beautiful dress she herself designed.

Today, the first of June, marked six months of no nightmares or horrible flashbacks of Tartarus. They weren't suffering now they had something in their lives to look forward to, something that would keep them together.

And that something decided to pay a visit just as they were cutting the cake.

* * *

Four hours later, in the comfort of an enclosed sector of the infirmary on Olympus with her husband by her side, Annabeth gave birth to a boy. He was gorgeous, with his father's raven hair, the same grey streak, and perfect, angelic features. The only problem was that he wasn't breathing.

In that moment, it seemed everything had come crashing down. Annabeth looked desperately at Percy, exhausted and tearful. He squeezed her hand reassuringly, before moving away to talk to Apollo and his helpers.

The sun god let Percy hold the infant, but Percy refused to give up then, flicking the tot's feet and gently blowing on his face.

The infant choked and spluttered before wailing. Apollo looked impressed, while Annabeth laughed in relief. Percy looked back, seeing tears streaming down his wife's face, her smile brightening the room.

He was called Tobias. Tobias Christian Jackson.

And he was his father's child alright. Sally compared pictures of baby Percy- something he wasn't happy about- to Tobias. They were identical, except for Tobias's grey eyes. He had his mother's eyes, but they gleamed like his father's- cheeky and mischievous.

"Why is he not Leo Junior?"

"Leo, shut ya face."

"But-" Louisa glared at him and Leo sulked. "No fair." He muttered.

"You're still Uncle Leo." Percy smiled at him. Leo brightened and got to hold Tobias, now three weeks old.

"Your first word has to be Leo." He told the infant. "Le-o." Tobias just blinked at him, before yawning.

"Heh, ya borin' him, Valdez."

"I am not." Louisa smirked at him. "Oh, he drools as well."

"Just like Percy." Annabeth smiled.

"I do not!" Percy protested. Annabeth looked smug and Percy pulled a face at her. "I don't drool." He grumbled. Tobias was fast asleep by this point and Leo carefully handed the tot back to his mother.

"Drooling like Daddy." She beamed, gently wiping away the drool with Tobias's bib. Percy folded his arms and refused point blank to talk to Annabeth for five minutes. "Very mature, Seaweed Brain." Percy shook his head, swivelling and turning his back on her. Annabeth jabbed her fingers in his old mortal point, making him cry out in protest and slight pain, back straight.

"Dammit, Wise-girl."

* * *

Tobias was two months old when his parents were killed in combat. Percy had taken a _pilum_ straight in the chest, one that had been aimed at Annabeth's back. The _pilum_ punctured his armour and sunk deep in his rib cage, skewering his heart. He was dead before he hit the floor.

Annabeth screamed when she realised what had happened. She lobbed her knife at the _pilum_ owner, losing her only weapon, but avenging Percy. Blinded by tears, she fell to her knees next to Percy's lifeless body, sobs racking her body.

Louisa saw it happen. She had tried to stop it, but was too far away, too packed in the crowd of battling demigods and monsters to reach her sister-in-law, to save Annabeth from having her throat slit by one she used to call family- Luke.

Leo and Louisa had broken free of the crowd. They had promised that if anything happened to Annabeth and Percy, they were to get back to the Jackson residence and retrieve Tobias, taking him away and somewhere safe.

They reached the apartment. Hazel had been standing guard over Tobias, but they found her unconscious in the kitchen. Leo tended to her while Louisa searched the apartment.

Tobias was gone.

* * *

**And that will do. For now. Hopefully I can work more on this one, like I say with all my stories. DAMMIT ART! **

**Review, and let me know what you think PLEASE! **


	2. Chapter 2

**This chapter may contain sensitive material that some may find disturbing- like, seriously disturbing. I didn't want to use it, but it builds Tobias's character for future chapters. Tobias is five years old in this chapter.**

* * *

"Brat!" Tobias sighed, rolling off his grimy mattress and wincing as the bruises on his ribs protested. "_Brat_!" Eddie hollered. Tobias stumbled out, limping on every right step.

Eddie and his mates were sat around the table, smoking and playing some card game that Tobias didn't understand. Empty beer bottles littered the edges of the table and some were smashed on the floor. "Clean this glass up and get us some more beers, brat." Tobias nodded meekly, circling the table and padding into the filthy kitchen.

Tobias had been adopted by Eddie when he was three. The first five minutes, Eddie was great, buying him ice-cream and toys. After that, the nice and modern apartment deteriorated and became a smelly, disgusting trash heap. Eddie was in his mid-thirties with mouse brown hair that looked as if someone had haphazardly shoved a dead squirrel on his head. He was slightly overweight with piggy eyes and a podgy nose.

Opening the fridge, Tobias grabbed the pack of beer bottles and staggered back to the table. Eddie smacked him on the back of the head. "The glass, brat. It don't clean itself up." Tobias nodded numbly, stars dancing in his vision. He rambled back to the kitchen and retrieved the dustpan and brush from under the dirty sink.

Tobias cleaned the glass up and disposed of it. He had plans to return to his room when Eddie called him again, "Brat!" Tobias was never 'Tobias' to Eddie, always 'brat' or a combination of rude words. Over the past two years, Tobias had grown used to answering to 'Brat!'

Eddie yelled for him again and Tobias scrambled back to the table. "I shouldn't have to call you twice, _brat_." He snarled, clouting Tobias about the head again. "Empty beer bottles need to go in the bin. Got it, stupid?" Tobias nodded mutely. Eddie gave him a shove and Tobias hastily collected the empty bottles. Eddie sent him to his room after that.

Curling up under the threadbare blanket on the old, grubby mattress, Tobias fought the urge to cry. When Eddie had first hit him, Tobias had cried, but Eddie only hit him more. He had been three years old and didn't understand why Eddie was suddenly being so vicious. If Tobias cried, Eddie would beat him. Tobias had learnt to keep his tears in check, but they built up in his chest and there were a few treacherous moments where it could have all come out.

Tobias fell into an uneasy sleep. Eddie was looming over him in his sleep, shouting insults and raining kicks and punches. "You stupid useless brat! No wonder why your parents left you!" Kick. "Everything that goes wrong is your fault!" Punch. "Damn the day I bought you home!" And his insults dissolved into hits.

Tobias woke himself up. His room was dark and he could see the silvery half-moon through the grimy window. The stars twinkled softly at him.

_No wonder why your parents left you!_

Eddie had said that plenty of times to him before, but Tobias didn't know what 'parents' were.

The door creaked open, bringing the room into semi-darkness. Tobias closed his eyes tightly and kept his breathing as even as possible, but fear was racking his body and it became increasingly difficult to pretend to be asleep.

Two sets of uneven footfalls thundered towards him. A meaty hand clenched her shoulder and he was shaken roughly, their fingers digging into his bony shoulder. He was lucky to get a full meal at all, often relying on scraps or packets of crisps he could sneak from the cupboard.

"Oy, brat. Wakey wakeys!" Tobias opened his eyes, the strong smell of bear clinging to the swaying, bleary-eyed Eddie. "This," Eddie wobbly pointed at his companion, "This is Greg. Say hello, brat." Tobias mumbled a greeting. He vaguely recognised Greg as one of Eddie's buddies, but that was it. "Greg wants some company and he thought you'd be good." Eddie's fingers closed around Tobias's arm and he forced Tobias to sit up. "Now, you be good, brat." Eddie smacked him on the back of his head, before rambling out.

Tobias fearfully looked up at Greg, who was considering Tobias with a smile that made Tobias feel physically sick.

"How old are you?" Greg slurred, curling his fingers in Tobias's hair, his nails clawing his head. Tobias bit his lip to stop himself whimpering in pain, but his lack of an answer gained him a heavy blow about the head. His ears rang and stars dotted his vision.

"F-five." He stammered, his head swimming. Greg just grunted and started unbuckling his belt.

"You be quiet, brat." He snarled, swinging his hand and knocking Tobias flat on his back. "This is our private time, OK?"

* * *

**I'm really **_**really**_** sorry, but it's essential as much as it is horrible D: **


	3. Chapter 3

Clare Heights was walking back from work, taking her usual shortcut through an alley. Her curly ginger hair was mostly tucked into her green winter's cap while her deep brown eyes glittered above her green scarf. It was cold tonight, the icy wind biting her exposed skin. She pulled her silver coat tighter around her, hunching her shoulders. She was determined to get home before the snow started falling. She thought of the hot chocolate sachets awaiting her in the cupboard, her green comforter ready and waiting to be curled up in while she watched good old comedies on her new TV.

At first glance, the alley looked as it usually did. Graffiti on the walls and litter caught in the wind twirling across the mucky ground. She had walked through this alley to and from work for nearly six years now and she practically knew it like the back of her hand.

But she did notice something different.

A sheet of cardboard had been placed on the floor with a small figure shivering under a ratty old blanket.

Clare approached cautiously.

"Hello?" She called softly. Whatever it was under that blanket tensed and she heard something, like a small sob. She crouched and yanked the blanket away, exposing a small boy. He stared at her with terrified silvery-grey eyes, his raven hair matted with dirt, dulling his grey streak. He wore clothes as threadbare as the blanket- a grubby T-shirt and shorts coated with dried blood.

He snatched up a nearby, thin metal pole and aimed it at her, trembling. "It's OK; I'm not going to hurt you." She spoke softly, but wanted to scream. He was covered in bruises and wounds. "What's your name?"

"Police." He said, not lowering the pole. Clare frowned slightly in confusion. "Where police?"

"Around the corner. I can take you there." He shook his head. "What happened? Why do you need the police?" To her shock, he burst into tears. The pole clattered to the floor as he hid his bruised face in his hands, sobs racking his tiny frame. Clare inched forward to comfort him, but he cringed away. "It's OK, sweetie, I won't hurt you, I promise." She managed to pick him up, horrified at how light and thin he was. Still wearing her coat, she wrapped him in it and let him cry on her shoulder.

* * *

By the time they reached the police station, his hysterical sobs had resided into hiccups.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked, her eyes narrowing at the bruised and emotional child Clare sat on the counter.

"I found him in an alley about ten minutes ago and he asked for the police. He's Tobias and he's five, but I don't know anything else." The receptionist looked at Tobias, her expression softening.

"What's the matter, sweetheart?"

"Bad men." He sniffled.

"Do you know what they look like?" He nodded. "Did they give you those bruises?" He nodded again. The receptionist studied him from head to foot. "What about the blood on your shorts?" Tobias whimpered, tears filling his eyes.

"Horrible." He cried. "Wrong." He dissolved into tears again. The receptionist had Clare pick him up and led them through a set of double doors and down a hallway.

"I'll have officers down in a few." She said. Clare nodded her gratitude, rocking Tobias in attempts to console him. "We'll get this sorted, Tobias." She added softly, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Tobias felt dirty and uncomfortable, but the police had questioned and examined him and he was in a police car on the way to Eddie, sitting on Clare's lap.

"There." Tobias pointed. "Ground floor."

"What room?" The policeman driving asked. Tobias shook his head. "OK. Stay here." The two officers got out as their colleagues pulled up around them. Nearly a dozen officers were making their way into the block of apartments in this rough estate.

Clare looked down at Tobias. He was chewing his lip and staring nervously after the police. She couldn't wrap her head around how or why someone would be so cruel to an innocent five year old. No child should have to suffer that. As a school nurse, she doted on the children in her care and aimed to work in a children's hospital. She hated the fact that children suffered. It wasn't right.

"Is Eddie your dad?" He looked up at her, confused.

"What 'dad'?" He asked.

"You know- a parent."

"Eddie say my parents left me." Tobias looked back out of the window. "But I don't know what parents is."

"Mommy and Daddy?" She tried. He shook his head. "Brothers and sisters?" No. "Did Eddie adopt you?"

"Think so."

They sat in silence for another ten minutes. The police officers finally appeared, wrestling Eddie, Greg and their friends out of the block of flats. Tobias curled up in Clare's lap, trying to make himself as small as possible. Clare held him, mumbling reassurance as he hid from the men.

"What happen now?" He asked quietly.

"You're safe now." Clare told him. "Those men are in big trouble and you won't see them for a long time." Tobias relaxed slightly in her arms.

"That sound nice."

* * *

**OK, those… **_**things**_ **have been caught and, as Clare said, Tobias is safe. Well, from them anyway. He's a legacy of Poseidon and Athena- **_**hhelllloooo- **_**TROUBLE ALERT! **


	4. Chapter 4

**This is three months on. Clare's adopted Tobias.**

* * *

"OK, here we are. What do you think?"

"Clean." Tobias said, looking around Clare's apartment. It was very modern, very tidy, but bright and warm like Clare.

"But you like it, yeah?" Tobias nodded. "Hey, I'll show you your new room!" She brightened, holding her hand out to him. "I've worked on it all month and it's great, even if I do say so myself."

His new room was clean and tidy, like the rest of the apartment, and a paradise compared to his old one. The walls were a pale blue, the furniture white. In the far corner was a large wardrobe. Next to that stood a chest of drawers with an array of toys neatly arranged on the surface. In the other corner sat a pirate's chest toy box with shelves above it hosting various books. His bed was on the opposite side of the wall to this, in the centre with bedside tables either side of it, both with lamps on with strange logos- a yellow oval with a black thingy in it. The curtains had the same logo on, he noticed, and he turned to ask Clare what it was. "That's Batman's logo."

"Who's logo?"

"Batman's." Clare noticed his confusion. "You don't know who Batman is, do you?" He shook his head and she mocked a gasp of surprise, hand on heart. "Oh my god, you… no. That's not right." She scooped him up. "Class is in session. You are learning about Batman."

She did not stop lecturing him on the importance of Batman until he started fidgeting. "What's the matter?" She asked, pausing on the description of Batman's Batmobile. "Are you hungry?" He nodded sheepishly and Clare smiled. "Why didn't you say so?" She got up, holding her hand out to him. She had found that he followed her around, not keen on staying on his own. After what had happened, she couldn't blame him.

* * *

Tobias looked at Clare, holding her hand while he stood in front of a 'class' of 'kids' he could make 'friends' with. He had no idea what Clare was going on about, but it was easier to listen instead of ask questions.

"It's OK." She assured. Over the past few weeks, she had helped him to learn to read, write and count and he was a fast learner, but he couldn't get his head around the concept of school. Well, mainly other kids his age. But they seemed happy, well-fed with bright, smiling faces and tidy clothes. His nerves had kicked in three days ago and Clare had found him hiding under his bed and looking sickly.

"Marcus and Tommy?" Two boys looked round at the teacher, a woman in her mid-thirties with soft dark brown hair and warm blue eyes. She wore a tie-dyed rainbow spiral T-shirt, paint splattered jeans and a warm smile. "Can Tobias sit with you two?"

"Yes Miss Colour." They said together, shifting their chairs over. The teacher- Miss Colour, apparently- took a spare chair from one side of the room and put it next to Marcus, a blonde haired boy with brown eyes and a cheeky grin. Tommy had light brown hair and pale green eyes, a splash of freckles over his cheeks and nose.

Tobias looked back at Clare.

"It's OK, Tobias. I'll pick you up later, OK?" She gently shooed him on and he stumbled towards his seat, looking around nervously. Miss Colour was watching Tobias carefully- his story had been in the paper. Clare only enrolled him in school in an attempt to get his mind of off things and settle in with new friends, a nicer life and to learn to read properly- he loved _Robin Hood_.

Miss Colour moved over to converse quietly with Clare. Tobias watched them curiously, trying to hear what they were saying, but was distracted by the four other kids sat at his table. Marcus was jabbering away to him, pointing out the 'Messy table' where they painted and drew and made stuff; the 'Lego table'; the 'reading table' and several others Tobias didn't catch.

"How old are you?" One of the other kids asked. "I'm five." She said proudly, flicking her blonde pigtails over her shoulder while her blue eyes studied him carefully. "You do talk, right?" Tobias nodded, looking at the other girl on the table. Her curly, chocolate brown hair was fashioned in a French plait and her light brown eyes were kind, yet curious. "I'm Becky." The blonde haired girl said.

"I'm Natasha." The other girl smiled. "What's your name?" Tobias just stared at them.

"He's shy." They all looked round and saw Miss Colour smiling down at them. "First day of school, Tobias. Excited?" He nodded timidly and the teacher's smile brightened. "You're allowed to talk, sweetie. We're not going to eat you or anything."

Tobias opened his eyes.

First day of school today.

Well, first day of his seventh school in four years. He had lasted the longest at that school with Miss Colour and she had been a great teacher. But she had left and Tobias didn't like the new teacher, who was strict and did very little to help any of them with their work. It wasn't his fault he started playing up to get his own back. And it wasn't his fault a racoon had gotten into the classroom either. That just happened.

"Tobias, come on! You don't want to be late on your first day!" Sighing, Tobias sat up and looked around his room. First day at a new school _on_ _his birthday_. That there, _that right there_, was the work of Satan. "Tobias Heights, you get up right now!" Tobias swung his legs out of the bed and jumped up, stomping his feet to make a point. He heard Clare grumble to herself from the kitchen where she was probably making him breakfast.

He could smell the pancakes from his room. He hoped they were blue.

He wasn't sure why, but anything she baked- pancakes, cakes, biscuits, etc. - they had to be blue. Even sweets she bought him had to blue and he never let her have any of the blue jellybeans.

Tobias walked into the kitchen, pulling his hoodie over his head. Clare wished him a happy birthday, setting a plate of a steaming stack of blue pancakes on the table. "Alright, no racoons in the classroom, no exploding fish tanks or bathrooms, no fighting, do the work, pay attention and don't put stink bombs in the principal's office _for whatever reason_."

"You forget to not get annoyed at teachers who expect you to read massive long paragraphs in _cursive_ and not caring that you're dyslexic."

"Just be good, OK, sweetie?"

"I'll try."

"And make friends! Talk to be people, be nice. Don't tell someone you don't like them because… because they're annoying or whatever. Treat people how you want to be treated."

"Ooh, look it's Tobias! Let's ask him about what made his life hell."

"Tobias…"

"Mom, I don't want to go places where everyone thinks I'm a freak."

"You're not a freak."

"Tell exploding fish tanks that." He muttered.

"Eat your breakfast, trouble. We're leaving in fifteen minutes, so you better be ready."

"Gimme twenty."

"Traffic."

"Oops." He sat in his seat and started eating. Well, inhaling.

"Eat. Your. Food. Don't. Inhale. It. _How many more times_?!" Tobias shot her a cheeky look and she pulled a face at him.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Tobias was slouching in the shotgun seat while Clare started the engine.

"I don't want to go…" He complained. "Home school me."

"I've got work, Tobias, you know that. Besides, you haven't even been to this one. You might like it."

"Woo. Exciting. New school. New people. New trouble."

"The trouble bit is you." She pulled away from the kerb (curb) and sighed. "OK, got everything?"

"Pen, pencil, writing book, water pistol-"

"What?!"

"Joke, joke…" He assured. "Uh, first aid kit, cell phone- that still doesn't like me- and lunch money."

"OK, that sounds like everything." She glanced at him quickly. "You'll be OK. Just… remember the dos and don'ts and everything will be OK." He didn't respond, staring out the window. They had found out a few years ago that he was ADHD and dyslexic, but he hated taking his medication for ADHD. "Don't get kicked out for anything this year, OK? We're running out of local schools."

"Six schools think I'm a nutjob in need of psychiatric help. I think that's on my records."

"_Positive_." She stressed, hitting the horn and cursing some idiot running across the street.

"_Positive_." Tobias mimicked, smirking cheekily.

"Oh, shut up, your horrible child or the next school will be a boarding one."

"See, _next school_. How positive is that?"

"I'm ignoring you now."

"Very grown up." She shook her head stubbornly. "I'm timing you." She still ignored him, gritting her teeth. "Think you can last more than ten seconds?"

She did- twenty seconds. She was known for being a bit of a chatterbox and it was amazing she could ignore anybody for more than half a minute.

They pulled up outside Tobias's new school ten minutes later. "Ugh, dump."

"It's not a dump!" Clare protested. "Get out my car."

"No."

"Now." Tobias pulled a face at her, grabbing his Just Do It rucksack from by his feet and swung the door open. "Be good!" Clare called after him. Tobias shot her a 'duh' look. "You are _not_ good, don't give me that look." He stared at her. It was that look he sometimes had, where she could stare into his eyes and see the pain behind them. He always put on a smile, mostly sarcastic or triumphant, but there was always this air of agony and torture about him. "Have you got your key?" He nodded. "If I hear a good report tonight, I'll order pizza. If you're lying, you can pay me back."

"With my allowance which is the money you give me… right…"

"Oh, shut up and go to school!" He grinned cockily, closing the door and waving at her. She stuck her tongue out at him and drove off.

Tobias turned and looked at his new school. Some of the kids milling through the gates and meeting their little groups of friends had noticed him and were studying him carefully, sizing him up. He was ten years old today and looked older. He did martial arts in his free time and he helped him feel a bit better about himself so if jerks like Eddie and Greg ever wound up in his life, he could defend himself and hopefully cause those people a lot of pain.

He wasn't shy. He had been the new kid seven times now and it was practically a familiar feeling to have everyone stare at him, whispering and judging.

Pulling his cap over his eyes, Tobias started forward, not looking at anyone and tucking his hands in his pockets. Whispers and chattering washed around him, but he blocked them out, remaining calm and casual.

He was Tobias Heights and damn his soul should he let any kid beat him.

He found his own way to reception, not stopping and asking anyone for directions, but feeling plenty of gazes on him. He met two girls in reception. They were about his age; one jittery and hyper, the other drumming her fingers on the desk impatiently.

"Soph, come _on_. I'm _bored_."

"Shut up, Vicky. I need to find out about that new kid." Tobias glanced at them briefly. The hyperactive one- Vicky- had mouse brown hair in a French plait, dressed in jeans and a pink top, her bag hooked in her elbow. Her brown eyes fixed on him and she smiled warmly.

He looked at the other girl, not offering a smile back to Vicky. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, sporting a rucksack similar to his. Her thick, curly raven hair had been combed back in a high ponytail and her sapphire blue eyes watched the clock impatiently. She had freckles splashed across her nose, which suited her, made her seem friendlier for some reason.

She looked at Tobias, as if sensing his gaze on her. "Are you the new kid?" She asked. "Tobias Heights?" He nodded and she smiled. She looked much better when she smiled. "Great. Didn't want to talk to the principal anyway." She closed the distance between them and held out her hand. "I'm Sophia Wilkins. This nutjob here is Vicky Sampson."

"Hiya." Vicky grinned, waggling her fingers at him. Tobias studied them carefully, before warily and briefly shaking Sophia's hand.

"We're your tour guides." He looked at Sophia in confusion. "Basically, we babysit you until you know what you're doing and blah blah blah." She tilted her head to the side. "You do talk, don't you?" He nodded and she smiled. "Well, talk then. Be social."

"Heh, me and social don't really mix."

"He can't hang out with me if he's not social."

"Vicky…" Vicky studied Tobias.

"He is cute though…"

"Cute?"

"You sound offended. Vicky, what did I say about harassing the new kids?"

"I wasn't harassing him. That's a compliment." The receptionist returned with Tobias's timetable.

"There you go, bud." She smiled.

"Thanks." Tobias looked down at it, realising it would be _way_ better colour-coded. Sophia read it over his shoulder.

"Ooh, you've got Math with us first."

"That sounds like fun."

"Oh, you're sarcastic. Finally, someone who can understand." Sophia smiled at him. "Sarcasm is pretty much the only weapon we've got here. We're not allowed to hit anybody or insult them directly. It's so annoying." Tobias looked at her, amused.

"Wait… Tobias Heights?"

"Yeah…" Annoyance flared in his chest. _Oh my god, _you're_ Tobias Heights? Are you OK? Do you need to talk_? Tobias gritted his teeth. He didn't need to talk about what happened. He needed people to get off his case about it so he could get on and forget it all.

_You'll never forget that. _

"Oh, poor baby." That was all Vicky said, much to Tobias's relief, but he didn't need her pity. He was perfectly fine, managing on his own.

_Are you managing? _His conscience retorted. _Are you really?_

_Shut up_.

* * *

**Sorry for not updating on this lately. I have plans to do more, hopefully, but I will be reading! **


	5. Chapter 5

If somebody asked Tobias _one more question_, somebody was going to lose their head…

Vicky and Sophia helped. Over the course of his first week, they had learnt his 'pissed off' face very quickly and they were strangely amazing at calming him down. Tobias wasn't sure that was a good thing, but one more person… one more question… somebody was going to hurt. Somebody was going to hurt _a lot_.

"So, Clare adopted you… did you know your real parents?" Sophia asked. Tobias glared at her. "Hey, trying to make conversation." She protested. Her eyes hardened into a challenging glare. That's what Tobias liked about her- she didn't stand down from one of his glares, but returned them with a fiery one of her own. "It's a yes or no question, bud."

"No."

"OK." And she let the matter drop. That's another thing Tobias liked- she knew when to shut up. Vicky… not so much- the girl needed an off-switch and fast.

Sighing, Tobias got up. "Where are you going?"

"For a walk. Problem?" He knew his tone was harsh, yet guarded. He didn't like running his actions by anybody. Sometimes he just had to get up and go; he hated sitting in one place for a long time. Were his parents ADHD? Dyslexic?

_No wonder why your parents didn't want you! _

Tobias winced, glad that his back was to the girls. He left them muttering to each other and stalked out, aware that everyone's eyes were on him as he passed their tables. He didn't look at anybody, pulling his cap from his back pocket and slipping it on. It was a normal New York Yankees cap, but it was _his_ cap and he wasn't fond of going anywhere without it.

It was a cold day today, the wind blowing in from the ocean. It carried a sea scent with it, something Tobias found relaxing. He loved the beach, the sea, insisting Clare took him as often as possible. It was every other weekend that they went for a picnic, no matter what the weather was. It was childish of him to run straight into the water and jump waves, but he didn't care. Water relaxed him, especially salt water.

Tobias kicked a stone, grimacing at the shouts of the jocks, the cheerleaders and the teachers. He didn't like quiet, but he didn't like noisy either. He had to be somewhere that was peaceful, but somewhere where he could still hear civilisation, hear people, but also where he could keep an eye on things. That was the school roof. He had to sneak up there- the teachers thought it was _dangerous_.

He walked around the corner, kicking his stone far into the distance. He made sure there was no-one around, no CCTV in his direction, before scrambling up the drainpipe and walking as lightly as possible across the roof and climbing the slanted ceiling to the highest point of the main school building. He settled down in the shade cast by a nearby looming tree and stared up at the blue patches through the green swirls.

Clare was like a mom to him. He had learnt what the terms 'mom', 'dad' and 'parents' meant and as much as he was grateful to Clare, he wanted to know more about his real parents. He wanted to know if they had left him or ever wanted him in the first place. Eddie's taunts swam back into his mind, bringing with it unwanted memories and phantom pain. It was always like that. Tobias couldn't think of anything that didn't relate to those few years in hell and it always hurt; emotionally, physically and mentally.

He closed his eyes and took deep, steady breathes to centre himself, to relax. It worked a little bit too well, his exhaustion catching up with him. He hadn't slept properly for months- not that Clare knew. She worried about him enough.

His dreams were fuzzy, but he could make out two silhouettes smiling down at him, one with a mass of curling blonde hair that tickled his face while the other one pulled faces at him, sea green eyes glistening beneath the windswept tangle of raven hair and a silver glint. They were blurry, as if Tobias was short-sighted, but he could recognise them as a young woman and young man. They seemed really tall though and he was a bit surprised when the man tucked his thumb in Tobias's hand and Tobias could easily curl his fingers around it. It was either they were giants or he was really small.

_Who are you?_ He wanted to ask. All that came out was a half-babble, half-cry.

The woman tucked her warm hands under his arms and he gurgled, reaching out with his small pudgy hand, curling his fingers in her hair.

"Hello, baby." She smiled, holding him against her chest and kissing his forehead. The man moved closer, his arms going around them. He kissed the woman's cheek before pulling faces at Tobias. "Percy, stop it. You'll scare him."

"Aw, he's alright, Wise-girl." Percy grinned, easily lifting Tobias from 'Wise-girl's arms. "He thinks his daddy is awesome." Percy grinned at him, holding him up above his head. His features seemed clearer now that Tobias was closer. Tired under the tanned skin, his eyes cheeky, yet mature for his age. He had to be… what? Eighteen? Nineteen?

Tobias looked round with some difficulty at 'Wise-girl'.

"See, he wants me. Give him here." Percy cuddled Tobias gently.

"No, mine."

"Seaweed Brain, I'm warning you."

"You always get the cuddles though." Percy complained.

The scene changed and Tobias was back at Eddie's, in his room with Greg towering over him.

_No… not this… no!_

Tobias sat bolt upright and looked around, breathing hard.

"It's OK. You're on the school roof. They can't get you."

"Who can't get you?" Tobias jumped to his feet, startled. Whirling round, he saw a beautiful woman in… was that armour? In some form of armour, wearing a… dress thing with her dark hair cascading around her shoulders. An owl was perched on her shoulder, but it was her eyes that interested Tobias the most.

Stormy grey.

Like his.

"Who-? What-? How-?" She smiled, as if knowing the questions that swirled around his mind.

"I am Athena. This is a Greek _chiton_." She tugged at her dress. "This is my battle regalia."

"And the owl?"

"My… pet, as you would say." Tobias stared at her, trying to form words. He had never seen her before, but something about her was familiar.

_Wise-girl_.

Athena… owl… battle armour…

She smiled knowingly. Tobias was about to say something when water vapour suddenly twisted in a miniature hurricane next to her. He nearly had a heart attack when a full grown man stepped out. Tobias stumbled back, but the man threw out his hand and the water vapour swished out, pressing against Tobias's back and stopping him from falling off the roof.

The man had windswept hair, like Tobias- like the guy in Tobias's dream- his sea green eyes surrounded by laughter lines. He had a close-cropped beard and his hands were scarred, like those of a veteran fisherman. In contrast to Athena, he wore a Hawaiian print shirt, khaki shorts and sandals and carried a trident in his right hand.

"Who… who are you people?" They glanced at each other and Tobias saw a look of sadness twinge across their features. Athena looked at him first, drawing a bronze knife about a foot long from a fold in her chiton. She stepped forward and took his cap from his head in a fluid, unexpected movement. "Hey!" Tobias protested. Her eyes flashed in warning and she suddenly looked scary. Tobias made a mental note not to get on her bad side, but that was _his_ hat.

"Where did you get this?" She asked.

"It was a present."

"From."

"Mom." Athena frowned slightly.

"Clare." She finally said. Tobias nodded. Athena gently touched the tip of the knife to the hat and it gained a silvery glow. She handed it back to Tobias. "Try it on." Tobias, studying this two like they were the reason the world was going mad, slipped the hat on. He didn't feel any different, confused as to why Athena looked satisfied. She held the knife out to him. "Take this." She ordered, her tone implying she did not expect disobedience. Tobias reached out and gasped.

_Where was his hand?! _

_**Where was his arm?!**_

He looked down at himself and saw that he wasn't there. Some instinct screamed at him and he snatched hat from his head. He quickly came back into view.

"Wh-?"

"The hat turns the wearer invisible. Your mother had that." Athena looked pained. "This was her knife." She pressed it into his hand. It felt right in Tobias's hand, balanced, but it didn't make sense as to why two random people could appear out of thin air and give him these gifts.

The man stepped forward, curling his fingers under Tobias's chin and tilting his head back, making Tobias looked at him.

"You're just like Percy." He said, holding a sad smile. "Except for your eyes. You have your mother's eyes." He reached into his pocket and produced a normal, ballpoint pen. "This was your father's."

"It's a pen." The man smirked and uncapped it. A three foot long, bronze sword elongated in his hand. Tobias felt faint. "What-?" The knife clattered to the floor, the hat landing next to it.

"I am Poseidon. You already know Athena." He gestured at his companion. "Normally, we don't get on, but we share a common interest in you." Tobias backed up, icy chills working their way down his spine and settling in his stomach. Poseidon touched the pen cap to the tip of the sword and it shrunk into a pen.

Panic built in Tobias's chest and he couldn't breathe properly. "It is a long story." Poseidon told him. "But let's get you home first. I'm sure Ms. Heights would be worried about you." Poseidon stepped forward, but Tobias turned and jumped, grabbing onto the branch of the tree. He scrambled down, reaching the bottom in thirty seconds. He ran then.

He kept running, time blurring like everything else around him. He ran and ran, not stopping until he got home. Breathing became painful and laboured, a stitch roaring in his side. He hammered on the door.

"Mom!" He shouted. "_Mom_!" Clare nearly yanked the door off its hinges and hugged him tightly.

"What's the matter?" She glanced around warily and pulled him inside. Tobias tried to catch his breath, stammering and stuttering over what had happened. Clare stared at him as if he had gone crazy, but she believed him as he wouldn't get in a state like this over nothing.

"And…" He choked on his words. "I… I was asleep on the roof before they turned up and… I had this… this dream…" He told her about it. "My dad's name was Percy. That's all I know."

"Your father's name was Perseus Jackson. Your mother was Annabeth Chase before marrying Percy. You, as Percy said, gate-crashed their wedding."

Tobias and Clare looked round, Clare standing protectively in front of Tobias.

Poseidon and Athena were casually reclining on the sofa, sitting at opposite ends of the sofa to each other. He still held that pen and she still had the hat and the knife.

"How-? How did you get in?" Poseidon smiled.

"Now, that would be telling." Athena glared at him, rising. She fixed her stormy grey eyes on Tobias, who closed his fingers around Clare's wrist.

"You wanted to know who your parents were. We were simply replying." Clare looked at Tobias over her shoulder. He saw pain flicker through her eyes. "Do not worry about giving Tobias up, Clare Heights. His parents-"

"Don't want me." Tobias sounded bitter, even to himself. Athena and Poseidon looked sympathetic.

"We had never seen them so happy when Annabeth discovered she was expecting you." Poseidon said kindly. "You helped them recover; you gave them something positive to focus on."

"What? You're not making any sense."

"You know nothing of our world?" Poseidon asked.

"What'd you mean?"

"Demigods. Gods. Monsters." Tobias stared at them blankly. "You may want to sit down."

* * *

Hours and hours later, Tobias's mind was reeling with all the new information- Greek gods, demigods, monsters, his parents' adventures from recovering Zeus's master bolt to surviving Tartarus. It sounded crazy, but something in his mind was screaming at him and it just seemed real to him, natural.

"What-? Where are they then? If Mom doesn't have to give me up…" There was that sadness about Poseidon and Athena again.

"They died in battle. Percy risked himself to save his mother, but she died shortly lately." Athena's expression suddenly flooded with anger.

"Woe betide Luke if I catch him."

"Who's Luke?" Clare asked.

"He is an old friend of Annabeth's." Tobias was told another story. His mother was seven and had two friends- Thalia and Luke. They were demigods on the run, found by a satyr called Grover. Thalia died to give her friends a chance to get to safety at a place called Camp Half-Blood.

"What's that?" Tobias asked, interrupting.

"A safe haven for demigods. Being my son and knowing he was, Percy was safer there, training and learning to fight monsters." They finished the story, leaving Clare and Tobias in a stunned silence.

"Does… Tobias… this, this camp…"

"Tobias does not necessarily have to go, but he is at risk now he knows about our world."

"Then why tell him if it put him in danger?!" Clare protested.

"It is the decree of the Fates."

"Fates…" Tobias had no idea what they were.

"Alright, fine. Your gods though, apparently. Where were you when he was- when…" Clare glanced at Tobias. She had learnt not to say Eddie's name as Tobias would get a rush of panic and flashbacks. "Or was that his _fate_ as well?" Clare demanded as the gods shared another look.

"Tobias was… hidden from us until he found you. We were not to intervene until now."

"Why now?" Tobias asked. Poseidon sighed. "Why… why not then? You could have snapped your fingers and stopped it all!" Anger was building in his chest now. "How could I have been hidden from _gods_?"

"Tobias-"

"You don't know what happened!" Tobias shouted, clenching his fists. "I hurt every day and I can't get rid of it, even now! I'm stuck with it and it'll never go away and then you turn up and think it's OK to put even more crazy in my life!"

"Tobias, listen-"

"No!" He stormed off. Clare called after him, but he didn't reply, running up the stairs and slamming the door to his room.

He collapsed on his bed and years of pent up anger, panic and despairs tumbled down his cheeks in hot, devastated tears. He curled up under his blanket, hiding his face in his pillow. Somebody knocked on his door, but he ignored whoever it was and buried deeper in his bedding.

At some point, he fell asleep. He saw Percy and Annabeth again, blurry as before. Percy was holding him, pulling faces at him and making stupid noises. Tobias gurgled and reached out to him and Percy gently bit his fingers. Tobias felt drool running down his chin and Percy rested him against his chest, carefully wiping away the drool with Tobias's bib.

"See, I told you he was like you."

"You said I drool _in my sleep_."

"He does that as well."

"Liar liar, pants on fire."

"Very mature, Seaweed Brain." Percy held his other arm out and Annabeth appeared in Tobias's vision. He lifted his head briefly, before nodding off against Percy's shoulder. He felt a soft hand brush through his hair. "Night, night baby." Annabeth said softly.

Tobias felt as if he was being pulled from his body and he was suddenly watching Percy and Annabeth. He could see his tiny baby self, happily asleep against Percy's chest and Percy was smiling down at him as if he were the best thing that had ever happened to him. They both wore rings on their left hand, Tobias noticed, as Percy reached out to take Annabeth's hand. "Why does he always go to sleep with you?"

"I am just _that _lovable."

"Mm-hm." Annabeth hummed sarcastically. She made to take Tobias from Percy's arms, but Percy turned away, holding onto his son.

"No, he's mine."

"Percy…" Annabeth warned, smiling in an amused fashion. "He'll sleep better in his cot."

"But he's mine."

"He's mine as well." Annabeth laughed. Percy smiled at her over his shoulder.

"Five more minutes."

_No wonder why your parents left you_.

His parents never left. They had been killed, but just watching them in this short scene, Tobias could see that they loved him. "Do you reckon he'll be like me or you?" Percy asked, catching Tobias's attention.

"Poseidon or Athena?" He nodded. "Um… I'm hoping me."

"But?"

"But nothing, Seaweed Brain! He's my son; he's going to be like me."

"He's my son too."

"Give me my baby." Annabeth insisted.

"I haven't had my five minutes."

"Tobias." Tobias opened his eyes. Clare was sat on the bed next to him, her hand on his shoulder. "Are you OK, sweetheart?" Tobias nodded. Clare ran a hand through his hair. "You were talking in your sleep. What was that?" Tobias told her what his dream had been about.

"Do you believe them about the whole… demigod thing?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, it's a massive… thing they told us, but it just doesn't sit right and-" Clare frowned, looking at something behind Tobias. He sat up and followed her gaze. Sitting by the closet was a box. He jumped up and removed the lid.

Inside was his cap, the knife, the pen and a photo album. A bit of paper was in the middle.

Tobias grabbed it and unfolded it.

_Your parents gained Elysium. They miss you, but are happy for Clare to care for you. Percy is insistent that you keep the weapons and train. Should strange occurrences start, you will be escorted to Camp and undergo training. You will still be able to see Clare, but you have a great future ahead of you. _

_Athena_

* * *

**OK, I'm out of ideas. I've made this all up on the spot, mainly 'cos I've got no ideas whatsoever. **


	6. Chapter 6

Tobias's class had been split in two- boys and girls. It was that 'birds and bees' lesson that the guys messed around in and the girls giggled about.

Tobias didn't find it funny.

He had partially figured out some stuff about what Greg did to him over the years, but he didn't like talking about it and people knew not to talk to him about it either.

They had a new teacher, some English man with dark brown hair cropped in a military style and kind blue eyes. He probably didn't know Tobias's story or see him sat at the back of the class trying not to be sick.

Everything that had happened, five years ago, now made sense. Cruel and horrifying sense that sickened Tobias, his chest tightening in panic and his breathing laboured as he tried to regain some semblance of calm. He curled his hands into fists and stared at the table, blocking out all sound and trying to focus on something, anything else.

"Hey, bud, you OK?" His friend, Olly, put a hand on his shoulder. Olly had heard about Tobias and knew nothing more than the rest of them, but he knew not to pry as Tobias would sink into depression and possibly some form of panic attack. Olly shouted for the teacher. "Tobias ain't feeling too good, Sir." Their teacher, Mr. Dowry, studied Tobias for a few seconds, as if trying to remember something. He moved to his laptop, frowning.

"Oh…" He said quietly. "Oh dear…" He had had an email that morning regarding Tobias, but had been interrupted by the principal wandering in and forgot to read it. He was supposed to have excluded Tobias from this class. "Um…" He looked back up at Tobias, who wasn't paying any attention. "Do you want to take him to the medical room?" He asked Olly. Olly nodded.

"Come on, bud." Olly stood, pulling on Tobias's arm to try and lead him out, but Tobias was staring intently at the table, rigid and pale. Mr. Dowry moved around the desks and tried to help, but Tobias flinched away from him.

"Whoa, look at the window…" Somebody hissed. Olly glanced around the teacher and saw that ice was crawling across the inside of the window from the bottom left corner, crackling quietly as it slowly danced across the glass in soft, snowy patterns. Outside, the sky was darkening, storm clouds rolling in. Seconds later, the pitter patter of rain drummed against the window, quickly becoming heavier and fiercer. Minutes ago, it had been warm and sunny, brightening the classroom and the students' moods. Now it was dark, cold and dismal.

Tobias wasn't paying attention to what was going on, not aware of the storm of the ice, now starting at the other end of the line of windows and slowly making its way towards the centre. The room was darkening and that's all he could see.

He was five years old again, huddled under a blanket as his door creaked open and two drunken figures bumbled towards him. Then there was Greg's icy smile as he removed his belt and Tobias felt phantom pains, phantom unnatural pains.

A warmer hand was on his shoulder and then the principal's voice was in his ears, talking to him soothingly, yet firmly, persuading him to get up and follow him out.

The next fifteen minutes were a blur to Tobias, but Clare turned up, sitting next to him on the bed in the medical room.

She took his hand gently, frowning at the icy coldness of his skin. Normally, he was really warm.

"Mr. Brooks told me what happened." She said softly, pushing her wet hair back from her face. Tobias stared at her. Her curly ginger hair was damp and flat, water dripping from it and onto her raincoat. "I can take you home, if you want." Tobias nodded, sitting up. His head span and he still felt queasy, old fear coursing through his veins. Clare helped him stand, holding out his camouflage raincoat that he hadn't noticed she had.

He followed her out, stumbling along and shakily pulling his raincoat on.

They were nearing the office when it happened.

Thunder boomed and the rain was lashing at the windows. Tobias could see ice forming at the base of the windows as he passed. It couldn't be that cold all of a sudden, could it? It had been nice and warm earlier, a faint summer breeze offering them cool relief.

Tobias was just signing out when the doors behind him were slammed off their hinges. Clare and the receptionist screamed, the principal cursed and Tobias was knocked to the floor, the air whooshing out of his lungs.

Groggily, he looked up. Standing in the doorway was a man with two unearthly beautiful women standing either side of him. They wore matching knee-length dresses, one a deep red and the other a deep blue. They smiled at him, charming smiles that fogged his mind. Everything about them was perfect, but that could only be bad, right?

Something didn't sit right with him about this.

For starters, the man held a two-coloured sword. And it was aimed straight at Tobias with an evil smirk on the strange man's lips.

The man was blonde with cold blue eyes and a ragged scar on his cheek. He was dressed fairly casually, in jeans and a black T-shirt.

"Ladies," He said, turning his head to address his female companions, "we only want the boy. Everyone else- bon appetite…" He smiled coldly.

The women weren't as beautiful suddenly, their hair bursting into flames, their skin fading deathly pale and their fingers extending into claws. Their legs shimmered, suddenly becoming one barn animal and one shiny metal leg.

Tobias backed up hastily as the man casually strolled towards him. The women-things flew at Clare and the receptionist, both of whom were screaming. The principal drew something bronze from his sleeve and it flew through the air, striking one of the female creatures. She exploded into yellow dust with a dying howl.

The man put the tip of his sword to Tobias's throat, studying him almost as if he were disappointed. "I honestly expected more from you, Tobias." Tobias stared at him, crawling backwards. The man followed him. "Your parents would be disappointed in you; no talent whatsoever." There was another dying screech behind Tobias and then the receptionist stammering and stuttering. There was a clatter and then somebody grunting. Risking a glance over his shoulder, Tobias saw that the receptionist had fainted and Mr. Brooks had caught her.

The principal propped the receptionist up against the wall and walked around the desk to face the blonde man.

"He knows very little of that side of his life and there is no need for you to be here."

"Ah, that's where you're wrong." The man smiled, his scar rippling and distorting his features. He twisted the point of his sword into Tobias's neck, drawing a bead of blood. "His stupid parents had so many enemies, so much uncompleted work- that all rests on him now."

"No, it doesn't."

"I'm going to have to take him." Mr. Brooks stepped forward, drawing an eighteen inch bronze knife from his sleeve. "Ooh, how scary."

"You will not be taking him anywhere." Tobias had never paid any really attention to the principal before, but there was something strangely familiar about him. The curly blonde hair, the stormy grey eyes…

"Athena…" Tobias mumbled. He repeated the goddess's name a little louder, catching their attention. "She's your mom."

"Yes." Tobias studied Mr. Brooks for a few seconds.

"You're my uncle." He cringed inwardly as he said the words aloud. Great, his uncle was the principal for his school. No wonder why he had lasted so long here.

"And this man killed your mother."

"Only so she could be with Percy." Mr. Brooks slashed at him, the first burst of anger. He shouted at the man in a language Tobias didn't recognise.

"Tobias!" Somebody hissed. Tobias looked round. Clare was crouching in the gap between the reception desk and the wall, motioning for him to come over while the two men fought, sword on knife.

Tobias scrambled to Clare's side and she hugged him, relieved. "We'll get out of here, don't worry." She told him quietly. Tobias looked back at the fighting men, trying to understand why a son of Athena would attack a guy with a sword while only armed with a knife.

OK, two knives- Tobias had missed that one.

___This man killed your mother_, Mr. Brooks had said. From what Athena and Poseidon had told him, Tobias knew that his parents had died in combat, seconds apart from each other. Tobias had worked out that they fought together, which probably meant they would die together.

Tobias should probably have felt angry, but he didn't. He just felt numb.

He never knew his parents. He had heard stories from the two gods, but he never knew them. He was curious about them and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to know.

They had godly parents, so there had to be a mortal parent somewhere. Tobias could try tracking them down.

What about brothers and sisters? Did his parents have those?

He was pulled back to the present when Clare gave a short scream, a bronze knife whizzing past their heads. The blonde man had Mr. Brooks at sword point.

"You're old, principal. Stick to your little school and live the fighting to the younger generation." The man drew his sword back. "On second thoughts, stuff the school."

Tobias had no idea what propelled him forward, but he broke free from Clare's arms and ran forward, his adoptive mother screaming his name. He collided with Mr. Brooks as the sword came down and the principal fell away.

Then there was pain. There was blinding, searing pain erupting in his shoulder, numbing his chest and his arm.

Clare screamed again, but to Tobias it sounded far away, a scream at the end of a darkening tunnel. All he could see was the man smirking triumphantly as he pulled the sword from Tobias's shoulder in a ragged jerk.

Tobias's knees buckled and he collapsed to the floor, his T-shirt soaked, warm and sticky with a rapidly increasing bloodstain.

He was rolled onto his back, the blurry image of Clare leaning over him and screaming his name fading into darkness.


	7. Chapter 7

When Tobias woke up, he was in pain and his head swam sickeningly fast. He was in his room, as far as he could make out, and there was somebody sitting in a chair next to his bed. He blinked a few times and recognised Clare's wild, ginger hair.

"Mom…" He croaked. Clare looked up and beamed, tears of relief filling her deep brown eyes.

"Oh, baby, you're OK." She leant forward, taking his hand and running hers through his hair. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was stabbed…" He muttered, wincing as his shoulder twinged and sent rivulets of pain through him. "How long was I out?"

"Three days." He stared at her. "Poseidon appeared on the first day and he gave me a box of… of ambrosia and nectar, as he called it." Tobias had no idea what ambrosia and nectar were, but he looked at his mother to continue. "He made you drink some of that nectar stuff and you started looking better within the hour." She met his gaze tearfully. "I've never seen so much blood…"

"Sorry…" Tobias mumbled.

"You're an idiot, Tobias."

"Have you only just figured that out?" She glared at him, trying not to smile.

"Shut your face." She dropped his hand and turned to the bedside table. Tobias saw a saucer of small cake-biscuit things and a glass of amber liquid. "Here, eat this. But you're not allowed too much or you will burn up."

"I'll burn up?"

"Um… like, spontaneously combust, I think…"

"That'll be a fun way to go." Tobias muttered, studying the ambrosia square. Clare watched him carefully, making sure that he ate it.

It tasted like cookies, blue cookies specifically, the ones that Clare made for him at the weekends. They were practically fresh out of the oven, the chocolate chips still melting, all gooey and yummy. His head cleared and he felt well enough to sit up, falling back against the pillows Clare had propped up.

Tobias realised he was starving. "Do we have any blue cookies?" He asked. Clare smiled.

"I'll go and make some."

It took four days for him to recover completely. He was left with a jagged scar on his shoulder, and, thanks to the ambrosia and nectar, it looked like it had been there for years instead of a week. Clare pointed out that there was another scar on his back, aligned with the scar he could see and it wasn't until then did he realise the man's sword had passed right through his shoulder.

He returned to school the following week. Nobody knew about the stabbing, but it was obvious his freak out session in the 'birds and bees' class had spread like wildfire around the school. Some kids were spiteful about it, but Tobias had learnt to ignore them. The others were sympathetic- Tobias ignored them too.

Sophia and Vicky were neither spiteful nor sympathetic. Vicky was relieved that he was feeling better while Sophia looked ready to kill him, as if it was his fault that the teacher forgot to read the email. But she seemed more interested as to why there had been a storm and ice crawling up the windows during his freaking out.

"I don't know. I'm just weird." Tobias muttered. Sophia gave a dry laugh.

"Damn right you are." Tobias studied her carefully. Outside of Sophia, Olly and Vicky, he didn't really have any other friends. He trusted the trio, but he still couldn't tell them why he freaked out. He hadn't even told ___Clare_ everything about his freak out sessions, as he called them- it just hurt too much and made him feel worse and more scared.

Mr. Brooks had explained to him about the attack in the privacy of his office.

"The man was Luke, a son of Hermes. Long story short, he was tricked into being possessed by Kr- the time lord, a Titan, having bathed in the River Styx. He alone knew his mortal point and he managed to save Olympus himself by fighting his captor and driving a knife into his weak spot."

"So, if he was good in the end, why isn't he now? And how is he alive?"

"All I can work out is that he escaped from the Underworld via a flaw in the system or the Doors of Death, but-" The principal cut off, noticing Tobias's confused look. "That's another story, I'll tell you some other time. Anyway, I can see why you thought he would be good, having turned the tables at the last minute, but I believe his old gaoler corroded his mind, in a way, and now Luke is intent on doing what he wants, when he wants and getting what he wants."

"Why would he want me though?"

"Your parents, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase then, before she married your father- before they even got together- they led the army against Kr- Luke's army to save Manhattan and Olympus." Tobias stared at him. "Your parents are legends in our world. Everyone knew about you, but you went missing at two months old. We first thought Luke took you, but he tried to invade Camp Half-Blood-"

"What?"

"Later," The principal sighed, waving it off, "He was looking for you, but obviously, no-one knew where you were." The principal rubbed at his face wearily. "You should get to Camp Half-Blood."

"Where is it?"

"I should contact Chi-" He froze suddenly, frowning. "Maybe not, don't worry."

"You're not making any sense." Tobias told him, feeling annoyed. "What're you on about?"

"There are some things I can say and others that I can't. I promise you though, it'll all make sense in time."

"Well, _that's_ helpful." Tobias grumbled, slouching in his seat. Mr. Brooks gave a thin smile, organising papers on his desk.

* * *

Over the course of the next month, Tobias quickly learnt about monsters and had taken to carrying his father's pen/sword and had his biological mother's knife tucked into his sleeve, using a special holster Athena had given him. Every day, some monster attacked, alone or in groups of threes and fours. Different monsters, but Tobias managed them, but he had to watch his ambrosia and nectar intake. He had gotten feverish six times this past month and he had left his recent wounds alone, covering them with bandages instead of healing them.

He learnt that his pen came back to him. A monster had disarmed him and his sword went flying into an alley. Tobias panicked, having lost his knife as well and he had to dodge attacks while trying to figure out when it would be safe to run for his sword.

But its familiar weight reappeared in his pocket and he found his pen.

He could handle the monsters, but Clare couldn't. The stress and worry for him was getting to her and she refused to let him out, specifically alone, but she had been put at risk when a hellhound chased him relentlessly for half an hour.

Tobias had thought seriously hard about this and, as much as he didn't want to, he had to go. He loved Clare to pieces, the first person to ever show him kindness.

He was hurriedly packing a bag in the dead of night, moving as quietly as he could. Clothes, ambrosia and nectar for emergencies, essentials like toothbrush and toothpaste, first aid kit, a blanket, a flashlight, some batteries and some matches.

Pulling on his jacket, Tobias looked around the room. His magic cap was balanced on the bedpost. He tucked that in his rucksack and grabbed his normal cap, slipping it onto his head. He zipped up his jacket and slung his pack onto his back, sliding his arms through the straps. He picked up the box of his parents' stuff and climbed out the window.

Clare would find his note on his bed later when she tried to get him up for school. He had explained why he was leaving and that he was going to attempt to find this Camp Half Blood place to figure out what the hell was going on.

He had saved up his allowance for the past month and had enough money for a taxi ride out of New York and hopefully for some emergency money after that. He had a few rations and two bottles of water and he hoped to make them last, but knowing him, that probably wouldn't be long- he loved his food.

He easily lost track of time within the next ten to fourteen days. He had no idea where he was going, but, oddly, he was following some instinctive urge. It was midday, quite warm with a pleasant breeze dancing around the semi-circle clearing he had found next to a shallow, yet five metre wide creek. He was refilling his water supply, having been running for the last hour or so from a small group of snake-ladies. There had been more, but he had dispatched of them with his sword.

Somewhere along the line, Tobias had acquired a bigger rucksack and managed to store his parents' stuff from the box in it along with his stuff and he had ditched that box, which had been a pain to lug around. He decided to wait here to catch his breath and quench his thirst while the snake-ladies tracked him. They seemed set on killing him, but he was a lot faster than they were- they had snake-trunk-things for legs. Really weird creatures.

Tobias rested against a nearby tree and checked his supplies. He had three canteens of nectar left and about a third of the bag of ambrosia he had bought with him. His first aid kit had recently been replenished, but he doubted he could do it again- he spent his allowance on food and organising the first aid kit and he got about ten dollars, if he was lucky, by sitting on the sidewalk with his cap upside at his feet.

His fingers brushed against the photo album. He checked his surroundings before he pulled it out. He had looked through it before, but only for a minute as Clare had walked in and he didn't want to upset her by trying to learn about his parents.

There were group photos, photos of his parents either together or with what Tobias assumed as their mortal families. His mother stood with a man and a woman and two boys about ten years old in one, apparently twins. That had to be her father and her… stepmother? Step-brothers? Or half-brothers, as they kind of looked like the man. His father's mortal family was of similar size, his mother and his step-father along with a… _was that a Cyclops?_

Tobias shook his head and turned the page. This one was of his father, a guy a few years younger than him with shaggy, thick raven hair and obsidian eyes, his pale skin a contrast to his black clothes. Percy didn't seem bothered by the other guy's menacing appearance or the giant black dog behind them that was chewing a straw dummy to shreds.

The next one was a wedding photo. Percy held Annabeth's hands in his own and they were smiling at the camera, genuine smiles. Tobias saw that Annabeth was pregnant. He flipped to the next page and saw Annabeth sat on the sofa, looking tired but no less beautiful, her blonde curls twisted into a messy bun. She was scolding someone- probably Percy as she was glaring at the camera- a finger to her lips, shushing her husband. Tobias saw the tiny blue bundle in her arm and figured that was him, asleep.

A twig snapped, drawing Tobias's attention from the next photo of baby him and Percy, who was pulling a face at him. He slid the album carefully into his rucksack and pulled his pen from his pocket, uncapping it and getting to his feet.

The snake-ladies burst from the trees, weapons raised as they screamed insults at him. He ducked the first swing and decapitated the first attacker, jabbing at the second and burying the bronze sword in her stomach, puncturing her armour. The third and fourth went down in a wide sweep while the last two backed up, conferring with each other silently. Tobias didn't like this hesitation and charged the one closest to him, running the sword through her head. The last one wailed in outrage and ran- could snake-ladies run?- at him. She was furious, swinging her sword and screaming at him in a language he didn't recognise. It was probably: _How dare you kill my sisters, you disgusting little toe-rag!_

Tobias tried to defend himself, but lost his sword. It went flying into the creek, landing with a dull splash. He drew the knife from his sleeve, cursing his odds.

The snake-lady gave a wild swing at his head. He ducked and let her momentum carry her around, unbalancing herself in her rage. Tobias buried the knife to the hilt in her leg-trunk-thing and she howled in pain, crumbling into yellow dust like her sisters.

Sighing, Tobias picked his knife up, feeling the pen return to his pocket. He retrieved his rucksack and carried on, splashing through the creek and clambering up the hill. It wasn't that step, but it was a fairly rugged hill and he tripped on rocks and tree roots from time to time.

He didn't stop walking until the sun touched the horizon. He collapsed by a round-ish lake in the middle of a tiny clearing. His legs felt like jelly and his rucksack had grown heavier the more tired he became.

After regaining some energy and eating a biscuit from the packet in his bag, he forced himself to his feet and set about collecting wood for a fire. He lit with the matches, noticing that he only had half the box left. He may need to get more matches.

The lake, he noticed, had a few fish swimming about. Tobias's stomach growled at him and he realised he hadn't eaten since breakfast. It was a miracle he could have kept going that day.

He grabbed a sturdy, yet mildly thin branch and used some rope to tie his knife to the end of it- voila, a makeshift spear. It took him a few attempts to skewer a fish, but he got one. By then, the fire was warm enough to cook on and he had a nicely cooked fish for dinner, with some chocolate digestives and a bottle of water as afters.

Weariness and a full stomach got the better of him and he fell asleep within minutes.

The photos he had seen in the album earlier whirred around his mind, but they twisted and he suddenly saw rolling hills bathed in sunlight and laughter. Cabins formed a U-shape around the hearth, with more rows of cabins behind them. Some basketball courts weren't far from them and there was a massive big blue house a short distance from the cabins. He saw what could have been a dining pavilion and then a mass of green woods, a glistening lake with canoes leaving wakes in the otherwise smooth surface.

He had no idea what this place was, but the happy sounds of laughter, the smell of nature and strawberry fields drew him in and for the first time in his life, he felt truly and a hundred percent safe. With Clare, yeah, she was comforting and offered the most amount of safety he had ever had in his life, but only up until this point. Something about this place seemed so protected, so safe and reassuring. Not even the dragon around the pine tree at the top of the hill could have deterred him from this place.

A loud growling woke him from his calming dreams. He opened his eyes and saw a large shadow bumbling through the trees. He scrambled to his feet as he saw, from the embers of the fire, that this massive, muscle-bound thing snorting and charging him had _horns_.

He grabbed his rucksack and ran.

A few seconds later, he realised running from the thing wasn't his best idea. It caught up with him easily and snatched him up. Tobias cried out in panic, its giant hand closing around his ribs and making breathing difficult and painful.

He drew his sword with some difficulty, nearly dropping it as the creature shook him fiercely. He swung at the thing, but was suddenly out of reach, the thing's hand closing around his ribs. He was sure some of them cracked, but he had to stop this thing and escape.

Tobias swung the second he was in range, slicing off one of the beast's horns. It howled in rage and suddenly Tobias was flying, flung through the air. The air whooshed out of him as he slammed into a tree.

The monster bellowed, the leaves trembling on the branches, a few raining down. Tobias saw the creature's discarded horn a few feet from the lake, but his main worry was the thing running at him. He waited until the last second and dodged around it. Its other horn embedded in the tree. Tobias scrambled for the horn, grabbed his rucksack from the floor and darted around the lake.

He got about ten metres before the thing prised itself from the tree. Tobias was looking over his shoulder to see where it was and the ground was suddenly out from under his feet. His rucksack flew out of his hand, along with his sword and the horn as he tumbled and crashed down the hill. He heard the creature roaring again, but its yell was thrown out of clarity as he rolled painfully down the hall.

His tumble came to the end when he slammed into a boulder, his back flaring in agony. Stars danced in his eyes, but he couldn't see whatever was after him this time, hearing its roar instead.

Then it was all quiet; a dying, wounded howl that was cut short by a sharp _thwap_. That's when everything went dark, Tobias's head swimming with pain and disorientation.

* * *

**That'll do for tonight, I think. I hope it's OK. **


	8. Chapter 8

When Tobias woke up, it was to the sound of growling- lots of growls and then sharp jabs across his torso, which annoyed him. He opened his eyes to have a go out whoever was constantly prodding him and came face-to-face with some dragon thing.

Well, it looked like a dragon from the neck down, a dragon like ones he would imagine. From the neck up- not so much… it had dozens of heads, all coiling and twisting, hissing and prodding him curiously, as if he were a threat. The necks were like a mass of tangled cables, writhing and snapping at the beast's sharp movements.

"Hi." Tobias said, unable to think of anything else. Sitting up, he realised he was on the top of a hill with a pine tree towering directly above him, a glittering golden blanket slung over a low branch a few feet from where he was. "Um… is that yours?" He asked the dragon, pointing at the blanket. The dragon's many heads snarled at him. "I'm not going to take your blanky, honest." Tobias backed up slowly, holding his hands up in innocence. The dragon didn't come after him, curling around the tree and the blanket protectively.

"That ain't a blanket, dumbass. That's the Golden Fleece." Tobias glanced up and saw a boy about his age or older standing over him. It was hard to determine the boy's age as he was thick with muscles, broad shoulders and a square-ish jaw. He looked like someone not to mess with- that and the sword hanging from his belt. He carried a large chunk of raw meat, which he dropped in front of the dragon. Its many heads attacked it instantly, growling happily.

Tobias got to his feet, pulling his cap low over his eyes.

"Where am I?" He asked.

"Camp Half-Blood." The boy grunted. His crew cut hair glinted blonde in the sunlight filtering through the trees and his harsh brown eyes looked Tobias up and down, as if sizing him up for dinner. "Who's your godly parent then, runt?" Tobias clenched his jaw, bunching his fists. The boy sneered at him.

* * *

Louisa was rummaging through the tool/weapon shed, trying to find her youngest, Alokia, a bow. Elsie already had one and was actually quite good for an eight year old. Alokia, idolising her big sister, wanted a bow as well.

"Mama, what's the noise?" Alokia asked. Unlike her parents, she was timid and quiet. Louisa froze and silence reigned in the shed. She heard a faint shouting and then a clang of metal on metal. For the love of the gods, if this was another fight she had to break up… and if that Hanno kid was involved, there would be bloodshed. And a lot of it.

"Come on, Alokia. Butts to kick." Alokia smiled, curling her fingers around her mother's.

They followed the noises and had to fight their way through a growing crowd of demigods. Once people realised who she was, they backed up sharpish, hush falling over them.

Louisa stepped into the centre, Alokia at her side.

It was Hanno- that stuck up Ares kid- against some kid slightly shorter than him wearing muddy tracksuit bottoms, a grubby camouflage jacket and a cap pulled over his face. He was dodging around Hanno's sword jabs and slices, apparently weaponless.

Louisa watched for a minute, her arms folded. Neither Hanno nor the new kid noticed her, but the crowd had.

That's when things got a little bit weirder. The new kid darted out of range, placing his feet firmly on the ground about shoulder-width apart. He threw his hands up and large, jagged icy shards sprang from the ground and hurtled towards Hanno with deadly intent.

Alokia squeaked in fear, but Louisa was ahead of her, throwing out her hand. The ice shards shattered and chunks rained down on the ground. She studied the new kid. Khione, maybe. Louisa never liked that goddess.

The kid glanced at her, clearly annoyed. He threw his hands out and the ground rumbled beneath Hanno's feet, ice creeping up his legs in thick, rough layers.

Before Louisa could react, fire curled around the ice and melted it, freeing Hanno. She looked round and saw Leo emerging from the crowds, their eldest daughter, Elsie, with him. Elsie was more like Louisa- tempermental and boisterous, speaking her mind no matter what trouble it caused.

"Dammit, Lou! Let me cream the lil' punk."

"Hanno, I swear if ya do one more stupid thing this week, ya gonna be hurtin' real quick 'n' real bad, understood?" Hanno glowered, but nodded meekly, sheathing his sword and stomping away. Louisa turned to the new kid. "Who are ya?"

"Who are you?" He spat. He stood ready to defend himself if the need arose. Louisa frowned, her gaze hardening. She couldn't see the kid's face as it was concealed by that baseball cap.

He moved away, snatching up a rucksack she hadn't noticed before.

Louisa was getting annoyed quickly. She marched forward and snatched the kid's hat from his head before he could protest.

Her anger dissipated as soon as she saw that windswept raven hair, the grey streak in exactly the same place as…

The kid looked at her with angry, stormy grey eyes and tense whispers sprung up around them.

"What," Louisa growled, her grip tightening on the hat, "Is your name?" He studied her for a few seconds. Leo appeared at her side, along with Elsie. He was staring at the new kid as if he were an alien species.

Tobias was studying the fierce woman. Something about her was familiar, but his mind was making any connections. Raven hair, tanned features and sea green eyes. He was in half a mind to retrieve his photo album to see if she was in there somewhere, but the more he thought about it, the quicker he realised she was. There had been a picture in there somewhere of his father and this woman, about sixteen or seventeen in that picture.

"You're Louisa." A flicker of surprise crossed their features, but she was angry again, drawing a knife from her sleeve. The kid went cross-eyed keeping it in sight, but he only became even more annoyed. He braced his shoulders in defiance and there was that air of refusal about him as he looked back up at Louisa.

"Your name. Now."

"Why?"

"Is it too much to ask?!" She demanded. Leo put a hand on her shoulder and she tried to calm down a little bit. Emphasis on _tried_. He was exactly like P… her brother, except for the eyes. He seemed about the right age, but the tension in his shoulders indicated underlying pain and that he had grown up too fast.

He glared at her for another handful of seconds before _finally_ answering her question.

"Tobias. Tobias Heights."

It all unravelled then. The whispers turned into shouted questions and people shoving and pushing each other. Tobias had no idea why they were doing this, but it probably had something to do with his parents.

"Bag." Louisa demanded, concealing her knife in her sleeve and holding her hand out impatiently. Any other person and he would have refused, but there was something in her eyes and he knew that he had no choice- pretty much on pain of death.

With great reluctance, he handed his rucksack over. She instantly started rummaging through it, chucking a few of his things onto the floor- food, half-empty water bottle, matches, flashlight, first aid kit…

Then she found the photo album and nothing else mattered. She dropped the rucksack and thumbed through it, the curly haired guy peering over her shoulder, his hands on her waist. Her frown deepened into a scowl. "Where'd ya get this?"

"It… it was a present."

"From who?!" Tobias hesitated.

"Um… A-Athena… I think…" Louisa scowled again, snapping the photo album shut.

"What else did ya get?" She ordered. Tobias took a step back involuntary, drawing the knife from his pocket. He felt better with it in his hand, but she glowered, her eyes flashing angrily with power.

"I-I got this." He said, trying to keep his tone as steady as he could. "And… this." He drew the pen from his pocket and she snatched it from his hand in a heartbeat, uncapping it.

"Gods dammit…" She grumbled. She glared at the sky. "What now?!" She shouted. Thunder rumbled, although the sky was clear and blue. She muttered a curse in that foreign language Tobias had heard a few monsters mutter in. "This way, kid. We've gotta talk." She turned and stalked off, her daughters- they were obviously her daughters; they were identical, except for their eyes.

The curly haired man hovered back. Tobias saw that he had the same warm brown eyes as the two girls and figured that he was their father.

"I'm Leo." He smiled, a truly friendly smile. Tobias had a feeling he could chill around this guy, despite his obvious nervous energy. He was pulling bits of scrap metal and wires from his tool belt and was fiddling with them in his hands, making something and disassembling it just as quickly. "Son of Hephaestus." He said, noticing Tobias was watching him work. "Come on, Chiron will want to meet you."

* * *

Chiron was a centaur.

But for some reason, that didn't surprise Tobias.

Then again, he had seen some sort of bull-man before he woke up here. Before that, snake ladies. Horse men were perfectly legit.

The camp director stopped short when Tobias walked in, paling and staring at him as if Tobias didn't belong. Tobias hesitated in the doorway, but Leo put a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him. On the short walk over, Tobias found out that Leo was seriously ADHD even by demigod standards, but he was funny, sarcastic and just a little bit crazy, all combined with that friendly and fatherly warmth.

He could also spontaneously combust, which practically gave Tobias a heart attack. Leo found it all very amusing and explained that he was a freak amongst freaks and went around spontaneously combusting to freak out the men in white coats.

"They will never catch the Bad Boy Supreme?"

"Are you always this crazy?"

"Mm… is that a trick question? Hey Mr. D."

"Leonard Vince."

"Leo Valdez." Leo mumbled, walking past the guy sipping Diet Coke and playing a card game with two half-goat, half-man creatures and wearing a loud leopard print shirt. He looked like a cherub in his mid-thirties, overweight slightly and just plain lazy.

"Who's that?" Tobias asked as they wandered down the hall.

"Mr. D. Dionysus. He doesn't really like demigods." The Tobias met Chiron and the full circle of weirdness was complete.

Louisa and her two daughters- Tobias was yet to catch their names- were there as well. The youngest daughter was throwing sausages at a mounted leopard head on the wall. Tobias wondered where the food went, but realising that unleashed a whole new level of crazy, he discarded the thought and turned to Chiron.

Chiron was in a wheelchair, but admitted that he was a centaur. _The_ centaur that had trained Hercules and all the others.

"You're old." Chiron chuckled. Tobias realised what he had said. "I- I didn't mean…"

"No, it is alright, my boy." Tobias smiled sheepishly. Chiron looked amused, contemplating him. Tobias suddenly felt nervous and timid, as if Chiron learnt more about him just by studying him. "You've had a tough journey."

"You could put it like that." Tobias mumbled. He glanced at Louisa, who didn't seem happy that he was here. If she was family, shouldn't she be a bit happier to find her brother's long lost son?

Tobias looked at the two girls, who were studying him. The older girl looked annoyed slightly while her sister looked wary and a little scared.

"Oh, duh. Haven't done introductions." Leo face-palmed. "Right, that's Elsie. She's annoying."

"Dad!"

"And that's Alokia. She's the bookworm." Alokia gave a timid smile that dropped a second later and she shifted closer to her mother. "She's also very shy, which makes me think she might be a changeling…"

"Leo, she ain't a changelin'." Leo held his hands up in surrender.

"She might be." Louisa glared at him. "Then again, it's a _very_ slim chance she might be, so she's probably just inherited the thin shreds of our sanity."

"Sanity? You two have sanity?" Chiron shook his head. "Why is that hard to believe?"

"Oh, haha, Mr. Sarcastic. Shut it." Louisa turned to Tobias. "Where'd ya go?"

"Um… what-?"

"Louisa, he was two months old. How is he to remember?"

"Start talkin'." Tobias hesitated. The earliest thing he could remember was Eddie walking into the orphanage he had lived in. Before that, it was all a blank.

"Um…"

"Louisa, I would like to speak to Tobias alone for a few minutes, if that's alright."

"But-"

"Elsie and Alokia are missing their archery classes." Louisa scowled, but motioned to her daughters. They loyally followed her out, Elsie casting him a dark look as she passed. Leo remained, staring after his presumably wife and daughters and humming the Batman theme to himself. "Mr. Valdez, that means you as well."

"Oh, but-"

"Nyssa wants you to clear up your station in the forges a little bit."

"A little bit?" Leo gave a wry smirk. "Hm… don't think a little bit would do much effect."

"Mr. Valdez…"

"I'm going, I'm going. Laters." He walked out, throwing up a peace sign.

Chiron sighed.

"Remind me to get that one tested."

"For what?"

"Insanity. Now, let's see if we can find out where you've been hiding." He motioned for Tobias to sit down. Tobias hesitated for a few seconds, but Chiron was a friendly, trustworthy guy and that was just obvious.

Warily though, Tobias moved forward, keeping his rucksack with him. He had repacked it after Louisa had left. It had become a source of comfort for him, in a way, especially its contents. The photo album and his parents' belongings were priceless and great to study if he wanted to understand more about them.

He sat down and Chiron offered him an assortment of drinks, from lemonade to hot chocolate.

"I'm OK." Tobias mumbled.

"Anything to eat?" Tobias shook his head. "Very well." Chiron wheeled himself to sit opposite Tobias, on the other side of the coffee table. "So, what's your, ah, origin story, as Leo would call it."

"He'd call it that?"

"He's a bit of a comic geek. All the superheroes and the likes."

"My m- foster mom, um, she's obsessed with Batman and made sure I learnt everything possible about him." Chiron chuckled, but he didn't talk after that, obviously and patiently waiting for Tobias to speak.

Did Tobias tell him everything that happened at Eddie's? Could he? He had bottled it up for years and no-one knew the full story, not even the police. Heck, not even Clare and Tobias trusted her with his life.

Guilt slammed into him. He hadn't tried to contact Clare since running away. Yeah, OK, it was probably for her own good, but she would kill him for making her worry so much.

Tobias started talking, not sure why or how. His brain had detached itself from his mouth and he just couldn't stop talking. Chiron's warm expression went slack as Tobias told him everything, horror settling in his features and… was that anger?

Falling silent, Tobias quickly realised what had happened. Someone he barely knew and he just told them everything, no hesitation, no pausing, no stammering or stuttering.

"By all the gods…" Chiron breathed. He looked up, reminding Tobias of Louisa shouting at the clouds earlier. "Their son. Why did you let _their son_ go through that?" This time, no thunder rumbled. "What… what happened after that?" Tobias tucked his hands in his lap to hide that they were shaking and continued. Chiron seemed to relax slightly at hearing about Tobias growing up in a better environment with Clare and he found Tobias's multiple exclusions from school amusing. He was amazed at Athena and Poseidon visiting Tobias and telling him everything about his heritage out of the blue and wanted to see what belongings they had given him of his parents.

"And there's this as well." Tobias drew the pen. Chiron's eyes saddened, but he was smiling, as if recalling good memories.

"That was your father's. One of the best swordsmen of his age. I remember him having big plans to train you before you were even born. Annabeth wasn't so sure. After all they had been through; I doubted she wanted her son to grow up in this world." Tobias uncapped the pen and the sword balanced out in his hand.

"What does that say?" He asked.

"Anaklusmos." Chiron replied. "Riptide." He translated.

"What language is that?"

"Ancient Greek. Do you not read it?"

"Um… no. Don't think so. Should I?"

"Well, most demigods are dyslexic and ADHD. Depending on whether they are Roman or Greek, their brains are set to read Latin or Ancient Greek. Their ADHD helps to keep them alive in battle, offering great reflexes and- your parents. You're thinking about them, aren't you?"

"I was told they died in combat. If this ADHD stuff keeps them alive, it can't have been that good, could it?"

"Percy sacrificed himself to save Annabeth and-"

"Yeah, I know. Great sacrifice that was." Tobias muttered darkly.

"You wish you knew them?"

"Ever since I found out about this… this demigod stuff, all I've been hearing is how brave and wonderful my parents are and I keep feeling like I've got to live up to them somehow." Tobias sighed. "I'm doing a great job of that, aren't I?"

"You're still young, you haven't had much training and there will always be opportunities if you really feel like you have to live up to their name."

"I'm not like them."

"Oh really? Louisa told me you attacked Hanno with ice." Tobias pulled a face. OK, while he had been bored, he had tried to figure out if he had inherited any powers. He had a little control over water and the ground shook if he really focused- earthquakes, right?- but he seemed especially good with ice, for some reason.

"Yeah, that was… weird…" Chiron gave an amused smile.

"I take it you haven't had a tour just yet?"

"No. Sir." He added quickly.

"Chiron, my dear boy. None of this 'sir' business." Tobias nodded. Chiron wheeled himself out, expecting Tobias to follow.

* * *

**And voila. This is the eighth page all made up on the spot. **

**Sorry for not working on other stories, but I felt like writing for this one.**

**And Louisa's back! With Elsie and Alokia! **

**Leo: Hey! **

**Oh and him too.**

**Leo: -_- **

**And I've been thinking- do we all know Lucy-Jo? Louisa's English friend, the Assassin? Well, I have a story for her, but it's mainly based off of Assassin's Creed, so I can pass it off as a Fanfiction? I wouldn't say it's brilliant- it could probably use some tweaking here and there, considering I haven't read/worked/checked on it in AGES. What do you guys think though? If I could break it down into chapters and edit it, I could try and get that up and we could learn Lucy-Jo's back story. I might work in how she met Lou as well, if I remember. **


End file.
